Last Minute Doubts

[topgun 63]

This is my first post on any forum. I am a 64 year-old male and I now weigh 286 lbs. I have just finished Kaiser's 12 week Options Program and I've udergone all of the pre-op required testing. During the Options Program they asked everyone to lose 10% of their body weight and I actually gave them a 15% loss by losing just over 50 pounds. I expect my consult with my bariatric surgeon within the next 2 weeks. I thought I was SO ready for this operation and now I'm having last minute doubts about my ability to make it work. My problem is - and always has been - habitual snacking. During the last 12 weeks I dieted sucessfully by losing the weight, but I didn't really change my eating habits, I only changed WHAT I ate. While dieting, I would go without food all day in order to save my calories for a big dinner of veggies and lean meat, chicken or fish followed by an evening of Snacks, like popcorn, apples, etc. Will the surgery itself help me to overcome this urge to eat all the time or am I just going to feel deprived?

Any input from others who may have had similar feelings would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Ted

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

This is my first post on any forum. I am a 64 year-old male and I now weigh 286 lbs. I have just finished Kaiser's 12 week Options Program and I've udergone all of the pre-op required testing. During the Options Program they asked everyone to lose 10% of their body weight and I actually gave them a 15% loss by losing just over 50 pounds. I expect my consult with my bariatric surgeon within the next 2 weeks. I thought I was SO ready for this operation and now I'm having last minute doubts about my ability to make it work. My problem is - and always has been - habitual snacking. During the last 12 weeks I dieted sucessfully by losing the weight, but I didn't really change my eating habits, I only changed WHAT I ate. While dieting, I would go without food all day in order to save my calories for a big dinner of veggies and lean meat, chicken or fish followed by an evening of Snacks, like popcorn, apples, etc. Will the surgery itself help me to overcome this urge to eat all the time or am I just going to feel deprived?

Any input from others who may have had similar feelings would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Ted

Hi topgun and welcome!

There is going to be a lot of work on you personally. The sleeve is only a tool, like a hammer. The hammer isn't going to build a house without the human power behind it. The house also cannot be built without a strong foundation.

You are going to have to "diet" to lose the weight. Snacking will slow your weight loss down. Depending on what you eat of course. I see you mentioned pop corn, well I can eat just as much of that as I ever did pre sleeve. It's a major slider food. I am many months out too, so this won't happen the next day, but eventually yes - slider foods are going to go right through you.

I think it will be really important to realize what is normal healthy snacking versus out of control bingeing snacking. Thin people snack too, but the difference is they STOP when they should. I have a lot of naturally thin relatives, and I do pay attention to their habits now. They're usually satisfied with a handful of chips, rather than having the bag next to them and going to town.

I'm a snacker, but I was still able to lose all my excess weight and then some. It wasn't easy though. I had to exercise a lot of self control and work out to burn extra calories. Most would consider that "dieting"... however, I think in order to achieve lifetime success we will all have to realize this is going to have to be a new way of life. Everything "bad" in moderation, and forever doing everything "good".

Good luck to you! YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

I am also a Kaiser candidate and I also attended the 12 week option's program. You have done all this work to get to this point of the referral. If you decide not to go through with it, when you change your mind and discover that you really need the surgery, you are going to have to redo the whole process over again. I met numerous people who had done this. I know this isn't answering your question, but here is the answer.

You have made a habitual change and decision to eat healthy food too loose weight. With the surgery, you will continue with healthier eating habits and get to a point where your not feeling deprived of all the snacking you use to do. Your body will change and get healthy where you don't need all those medications you've been taking (or not). You will feel so much better about yourself. Yes, it is the hardest thing you will ever do. But you will have so much more energy than now.

I am 55 years old and was diabetic. My A1c is still at 6 so they still consider me a diabetic. However, it will be under 6 in no time, and I won't be diabetic then. I can still have Snacks when I want, I just don't have to eat massive quanities.

I love my sleeve and would do it again in a heart beat. We all have second thoughts about the procedure, but remember, if you could of continued on with your weight loss, you would have, you haven't so here is a great option that is successful. You challenge your head hunger for the snacky foods. It's all in our thought processes.

Hope to hear your on the BIG LOSER's BENCH with us! This is a great place to be as I'm sure you have read the numerous posts for other people with the sleeve. We all love it!

[Pashion 7]

Hello Topgun. I understand exactly how you feel. I started this journey back in 10/2011 only to have my insurance come back and say I had to switch facilities in 12/2011. Now that I have completed all of my pre-op and scheduled for surgery 20 days from today I am freaking out. I thought I was ready for this now I'm not sure. Wondering if I will lose the weight? If I will have any major complications? Will I gain the weight back? How much skin will I have? I just hope I am making the right decision. Not only that but I have lost 15 lbs so far and will prob end up losing another 10lbs before surgery. I'm just thinking to myself how come I can't lose the weight and keep it off without surgery. Anyways...we can hold each others hand on this one. Good luck

[Amanda 3.0 140]

I don't know about you, but prior to this surgery, I cannot remember the last time I felt full. Ever. I also got severe cold feet the day of surgery, which I think is quite normal from what I have read here.

Dieting was a battle of wills every second from the time I woke up until bedtime. Now I don't think about food first thing in the morning, or much at all. A huge burden is lifted.

I think if you stay away from the bad Snacks most of the time (and this has to be a conscious decision on your part to do so because some of those bad Snacks will slide right down your sleeve), you will be able to enjoy life.

Personally, my Protein supplements are still filling me up, so I don't really have time for snacks. Sometimes my head thinks I should have something, especially when I am procrastinating or unsure of something (I was THE PROCRASTINEATER) and in those cases I have to make a conscious decision to walk away for a while. And, it is harder to find an appealing snack. Different from presurgery, walking away actually works now!

Constant snacking is probably addressing something besides hunger, and if so, it is ideal to address why you are eating. There are quite a few books out there, or you can work all that through with a counselor if you find yourself snacking too much and you feel you are not using the surgery to your advantage.

Good luck to you, I am sure you will make the right decision for you!

[IowaAndy 95]

The sleeve is only a part of your weight loss journey. You will have to continue to make good or better food choices when you are deciding on what to eat as part of your meal plans. Since I had surgery on Dec 11 I no longer have the hunger feeling no matter what time of the day. I just know that when it is noon it is time to eat a meal. I do have a snack mid afternoon but I do not eat anything after dinner. I have found that if I eat too close to laying down to sleep I get an uncomfortable feeling in my esophagus. Since I do not like this feeling I do not eat close to bedtime.

I want to congratulate you on losing the weight on the program....that is fantastic.

I think everyone has doubts no matter how close you are to surgery and after having bad eating habits that got most of us to the unhappy weight that we achieved.

You will have to be the one to make the choices. You will not be able to snack all the time as you will be getting too many calories and either not lose of possibly gain weight. The sleeve should help you not wanting to snack as you should not have the hunger feeling. I find that I think about food more when just sitting watching tv or when I have little to keep me occupied. I have started to work puzzles.....anything to keep me occupied.

Wish you all the best on your decision.

[mommy794 119]

I had my surgery Monday 2-6, so I don't know about long term yet! But I have not been hungry at all...yes when my hubby and kids are in the car eating McD's my stomach growls but I know it's just the smell. Plus I can't eat that any time soon! But everyone I personally know who's done this surg is so glad they did. My daughters new homebound teacher had it last Jan. she has lost #125 w/o really exercising just being more mobile from weight loss and she said she does graze all day just to be able to get her Protein in each day. Her main reason for choosing the sleeve was that once healed she could still go out and eat with family and friends...although eat MUCH less at one time ... I'm looking forward to those days myself hope this helps!